This invention relates to a method and apparatus for rapidly and accurately changing speed and/or reversing direction of a flat article. This invention is not limited to its preferred use, changing speed or reversing direction of a disposable diaper or sheet of paper; but instead the methods and apparatus' of the present invention may be used in wide ranging applications.
During manufacture of disposable diapers of the children's training pant type, or of the adult incontinence type, manufacturers typically process the diapers through a series of steps. For a variety of reasons, during the manufacturing process, it might be necessary to reverse direction of the article, from forward to reverse, or from forward to upside down to reverse, or from forward to downward etc.
It might also be necessary to speed up or slow down the speed of the article, or to change the spacing between a series of articles. By slowing incoming articles down, the spacing between two adjacent articles can be reduced. Similarly, by speeding up subsequent articles, spacing between two articles can be increased.